A conventional handheld electronic device, such as a Personal Digital Assistant (PDA) and a wireless telephone, includes a keyboard/keypad, a display and a system printed circuit board (PCB) disposed within a common housing. The display is typically provided as a reflective, transmissive or transreflective LCD display panel.
In a typical keypad, aural and tactile feedback is provided to the user as he presses onto a key in the keypad, usually as an audible “click” and a positive movement of the depressed key. One known method of generating the audible feedback is to insert a separate, compressible dome in the keypad assembly which compresses and temporarily collapses as sufficient downward pressure in exerted against the dome by an element in the keypad assembly. The dome assembly is also used to complete an electrical circuit associated with the key.
Although the use of a separate dome in a keypad assembly is effective in providing feedback to the user, its use in an electrical circuit affects the cost of the build of materials for the device.
There is a need for an alternative key system which operates as a traditional key and provides feedback to a user.